Wherever the wind goes
by Laura31325
Summary: My own take of OC-insert. Not Beta'ed. Rating subject to change. Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but my imagination. On hiatus. Being revised. Um... I'm sorry?
1. Waking up

I looked down at my hands with morbid fascination and flexed them experimentally. I died. That was something I was pretty much sure about. So why am I alive? Was I some kind of half-dead zombie experiment thing?

Deciding that these foreign pair of hands were indeed mine now, I let my eyes wonder across the scene I lay, finally allowing myself to panic in a little, detached way of someone who couldn't believe her luck of dying but not staying dead. First things first, there were huge trees. It was under one of the smaller ones that I lay and it was easily twice as thick as the trees back a home, not to mention that the top seemed to extend infinitely and could not be seen. Second, my chest was covered in dry blood, something I had been trying to hide behind Denial for the past few moments of my new life. Unfortunately, I couldn't just leave it like that, and that probably explains why I didn't bother to move much. Plus, seeing how my nervous system must be in a wreck for me to not feel anything, I would rather not risk overestimating this body and kill myself again. I fumbled to lift the shirt I wore off my chest and inspected my injury. I winced. I always held a disgust for burns, bruises, wounds, cuts and anything else to do with bodily harm or blood, and it didn't take a genius to figure out whoever this body belonged to had died. Slowly, in a terrible and painful way. Thankfully, it didn't seem as if I was about to die again, so I deemed that this body started healing itself when I was unconscious. Before my eyes, a minor cut on my arm disappeared.

"Wow," I muttered. I pulled my shirt down and lay there for some time longer, until the numbness faded, replaced by dull throbbing. Good. Since my nervous system has finally got about repairing itself, I figured I might as well start moving a bit. Gingerly sitting up, my field of vision grew large enough to tell me yes, I had indeed been robbed of whatever valuables this body had on it besides being stabbed. Perhaps the original owner of this body had been killed by bandits.

A wave of pain hit me the exact same time as nausea. I nearly doubled over, overwhelmed, cursing under my breath that I just had to be responsible enough to not start moving the body until I could feel pain. That faster I get medical treatment to better. Maybe they'll give me painkillers for free if I let them experiment on my body.

Now, I wasn't stupid or retarded enough to think of walking on the main path with my current appearance and scare travelers half to death like I currently was, so I kept to the forest, sufficiently close to get a glimpse of the path once in a while, but far enough that people would not admire the scenery and find an eyeful of zombie. I wasn't sure where I was going, but the pain churning cheerfully along my body was a great incentive in keeping me on task to find a hospital and get some painkillers. I think I was dying of pain. Which I am sure whoever dumped me in this body and went through all that trouble to keep me alive this long would rather want to avoid.

Three headaches and an infinite amount of pain later, I ended up outside a cottage next to the main path. It would be how many more headaches later until I find a hospital, so I figured I might as well try this house. I walked up to the front door and knocked, only to have the door slide open when my hand pushed gently against it. This was such an astonishing display of lax security that I stood there gawking. Oh no, I could feeling another headache coming already. Determined to get any available painkillers before it strike in full force, I urgently shouted into the cottage, "Hey, is anyone home? No? I'm coming in then, sorry for intruding, but I really need painkillers."

The cottage was very well kept. I found the painkillers quickly in a drawer labeled medicine. I poured three onto my hand as my headache increased in magnitude, and, not bothering to return two back, downed the whole deal. The result was near immediate. Ah, sweat relief. I glanced up lazily at the picture on the wall, finally able to relax slightly. Then I did a double take. My denial abilities were as advanced as they go, but there was no way I could deny the person in the photograph on the wall wasn't me. There was a mirror directly below the photograph, so I was practically seeing two of me at the same time, only that this wasn't actually me, but my new body.

Then I realized if this was the previous owner of this body's (lets call the unfortunate owner 'the previous') house, then that means I was going in the wrong direction of the city or where ever majority of the population was. Dang.

Abruptly, my body decided that was all the excitement it could take for the day— no surprise there, after all it had died then revived itself, dragged who knows how far, and stood three and a half headaches, and promptly fainted. I didn't even had time to lock the door.


	2. Discovery

When I woke up from a death-like sleep, I stood up from my awkward position on the floor, made sure the room was as well kept as before before rushing to the door. I closed it with finality. Never again. I was thankful no one decided to take advantage of the open door; not that many travelers even come this way, but better safe than sorry had always been one of my withstanding policies. My body was in significantly less pain than before, and when I lifted my shirt up to check on my wound, it was caked with blood, but nearly healed. This reminded me to take a bath and wrap up the wound. I don't want to risk getting an infection.

The bathroom was thankfully easy to locate, after wandering aimlessly in the surprisingly large house for five minutes looking for clothes. I stripped and finally got a good look at my new body through the mirror. Like yesterday, the face staring back at me was obviously not my own. My new eyes and shoulder length hair were the same shade of brown. I had a sharp nose, an equally sharp chin and all in all wasn't too bad-looking if I do say so myself. I was on the thin side, and as for feminine assets... Well, should I be panicking now?

I took a deep breath and looked down. I stared. Rubbed my eyes. Yep, that's still there. It's not supposed to be there. Yes, this would be a good time to panic.

I screamed, horrified. You really can't blame me, though. If you were the one thrown into a new body, you wouldn't take too well discovering your gender changed either.

However, it was a good wake up call. I was really a zombie. I was in an unknown location in the body of a deceased man whose name I didn't even know. I need to work on my denial. Above everything else, I need a bath. To which I shall spare you the details.

After wrapping up the wounds, I looked much fresher from before. It turned out that my hair was a tad shade lighter than my eyes, only that it was covered in so much grime before I couldn't tell. I choose to wear a simple dark blue yukata, not yet comfortable with the fact that I was now a male. The body I inhabited was around 20, his shoulders not very broad and had a decently pretty face, so I could technically pull it off as a female. Satisfied on my new image, I decided to shuffle through the Previous's stuff to see what clues I could find.

By noon, I have went through most of his stuff. I found a few important-looking documents lying on the study-room table that told me the Previous was a "free-spirited" merchant that roamed wherever he liked. That suited me very well. It could have been worse. I also learned that the name he went by was a simple "Haru", and that I retained some basic knowledge from the Previous, like that ability to read and speak Japanese. I have no idea how this worked, but I was grateful. More searching surfaced a journal with his name scrawled upon it. There I found out Haru was planning on settling down in the village of Konohagakure no sato for a while, having the permission from the Hokage himself. Yes, Konohagakure. Yes, the Hokage. As in straight from the manga Naruto. Why must life after death be so complicated?!

By then I had finally come in full contact with my current predicament, first time since I had died and woken back up in some random body. I was expected at Konoha by tomorrow, and according to the journal, that gives me only around an hour more to decide before I have to come to a conclusion. I was not a full blown fan of Naruto, for one. Sure I've read it, sure I appreciated the story, but I read it like any other manga I read. This was no doubt a dangerous world to end up in, and getting involved? To me that wasn't even an option. I was a merchant now, for heaven's sake, and although Haru did exercise on a daily basis, he wasn't a ninja. _I_ wasn't a ninja. However the question remains on how close I preferred to be in regards to the story provided it was Canon. I was naturally curious about what time period I had fallen into, and having the story play out right in front of my eyes was an exciting prospect. I died at the age of thirteen, meaning I was younger than how I currently look. Unlike Haru, I never had any experience in making decisions my whole life. To go or keep my distance? I was lost.


	3. Decision

It turned out to be a lot easier to decide when I calmed down. The Hokage was, after all, expecting me. At first I had opted to stay away as far as I can, but I, unlike Haru, was no skilled merchant. I would never be able to explain why I decline an invitation to Konoha after being the one to initiate the request. Plus, I was running low on food. I needed to travel.

I spent the rest of the hour packing what I could tow over. Namely personal items like clothes, merchandise like scrolls, a few dozen sharp objects and a number of what I assumed were seals. I would need to ask some ninja to see if there were anything inside, provided I managed to explain why I would be suspicious of scrolls I couldn't open anyway. But hey, chakra was something that's supposed to be everywhere. How would I know if Haru didn't figure some way to do so?!

Soon enough, I was on my was to Konoha. Turned out it lay in the same direction I stumbled back from yesterday. Thankfully I wasn't robbed again and no other complications arise along the way. I made a good distance before the sun sank, forcing me to stop and find somewhere along the side of the path to rest. I lay down the sleeping bag I had found in a corner of my house and slept till morning. Thankfully I was an early riser, so I trudged along quickly and made it to Konoha by the time heat from the sun was starting to become insufferable. The guards barely glanced at the letter I wisely brought with me before allowing me in. Indeed, they were expecting me.

Konoha looked as grand as in the manga itself. That is to say: Beautiful. Amazing. Breathtaking. Not to mention how it was Physically There. I followed to instructions written on the bottom of my letter to locate my new shop. It sat quietly at the corner of a street, overlooking a playground. It wouldn't be quiet for long, I promised myself.

The sun was setting when I, absolutely traumatized with embarrassment, decided to close shop for the first day of my business, with some persuasion from a certain nice lady. I wasn't kidding when I said I wasn't experienced. Every time someone wandered into my tiny shop, hurriedly set up in no more than ten minutes, I couldn't even bring myself to say hello. It was worse when they did actually want to buy something. I dropped money, merchandise, anything put in my hands more times than the total number of villagers that had entered the shop.

The most humiliating of all had to be my first meeting with a canon Naruto character. The genjistu expert walked into the shop, asked kindly for my name after introducing herself as Kurenai, then proceeded to ask if I needed any help. She had heard about my arrival to Konoha and was told to check on me by the Hokage. I wondered how famous Haru must have been to gain such attention. I declined the offer, but offered to make tea while we talk, which she agreed. Of course, I just had to trip over nothing and nearly ended up spilling tea on the nice kunoichi, to which she, being a ninja, dodged with ease. In fact, she even managed to grab my yukata before I face-planted into the ground.

"Ah... My thanks, Kurenai-san," I said shakily, steadying myself.

"No problem, Haru-ch— Haru-san."

I frowned. "I'm a female, Kurenai-san, you can call me Haru-chan if you like. I'm younger than you anyway."

Kurenai looked like she wanted to correct me on something, but she stopped and smiled with what looked suspiciously like sympathy. "You must be tired, Haru-san. Traveling could do that to people. You should retire for the day soon. I insist."

The black haired lady had then insisted I close for the day and even went as far as to stand there until waiting until I locked the shop to escort me up a flight of stairs at the back to my temporary residence. I was about to complain when I saw the genuine concern flash across the kunoichi's face at my behavior, and decided to endure. I wondered if I was really that suspicious.

I looked at myself. I sighed. Who was I kidding? I obviously do.


	4. Breakfast

Haru woke up at six. I woke up at seven. Before I realised what was going on, I have changed and was well into a long morning exercise routine I have never done in my life but my body did. Grimacing in annoyance at the manly clothes I wore (aka: not yukata), I forced my body to stop and get changed. Once I changed into another yukata, however, I was back to doing the routine like someone with OCD.

The moment I was done, I grabbed some money and went out to get breakfast at a store I spotted near my shop. Lucky or no, I found myself face to face with Kurenai once more.

"Good morning, Haru-san," she smiled.

"Good morning, Kurenai-san," I smiled back. I wasn't paying attention to what I bought, simply pointing at something and paying whatever the store owner gave me. I sat down at the kunoichi's table. I wasn't the only one. From outside the store Anko came flying in towards the table.

"Morning, Kurenai. Who's this?" She asked, eyeing the dango in my hand. Dango for breakfast? I made a point never to let my subconsciousness decide my food ever again.

Kurenai looked slightly aspirated. "This over here is Haru-san from the newly opened shop down the street, and this is _her_ _dango_."

"Her? but isn't h—" Kurenai grabbed Anko away from me, hissing softly, "I know, but he's delusional."

Let's pretend I never heard that.

I offered my dango to the females, smiling. "Dango, anyone?"

Anko snagged one almost immediately. "Thanks. I'm Anko. Anyone who gives dango is awesome. You're awesome. "

The "who cares if you're gender confused" afterthought hang in the air as loudly as silence could go. I wasn't surrendering yet though. I was, on the other hand, getting annoyed at my steadily disappearing breakfast. Ninjas.

Shoving the rest of the dango into Anko's hands, I stood up from my seat, and bowed politely to the two. "Thank you for your company. I have to go now. Have a nice day, Kurenai-san, Anko-san."

I went of I the general direction of the village center, determined to get some proper food. Anko was shouting behind me. "But that's the wrong way to your shop!"

"Anko, you just stole Haru's food! Be more polite!"

"What does that have to do with anything?!"

Anko, I concluded, was so far very, very canon. And she eats like a hamster.


End file.
